Importance of Family Time

If you’re a workaholic like me, then sometimes you completely lose track of what is most important in your life, and that’s your family. The great thing about what I do as a Beachbody Coach is that I get to work from home, allowing me to see Melinda and Madison every day, but even though I’m there, it doesn’t mean I’m connecting with them. Since I have a choleric personality (Personality Plus- READ IT!), I can easily get absorbed into my work and neglect my family, which isn’t good for any of us! There have been some times that I really didn’t have a chance to talk to Melinda, and before I knew it, it was time for bed. It came to a point where this was happening a few times a week, and that’s when I decided to make some changes, thanks to the recommendations of my mentor Craig Holiday. Craig has helped me understand the importance of family time and how NOT to get absorbed into my work, past a certain point that is. I know that there are many of you reading this who have the same time of personality as I do, and if so, I’ve got some great tips for you below on how to separate business time from family time. You need to understand the importance of family time!

(1) Realize what you’re working hard for. For me, I work hard not for the money, but for the freedom to spend time with my family and do the things that I want to do without worrying about anything. I want to give Melinda and Madison the life that they deserve: one filled with love, happiness, and is stress free. However, what tends to happen is that so many people get focused on creating that ideal life for their family that they completely disconnect from them and get absorbed into their work, therefore creating stress in the relationship, sometimes leading to a split. It’s unfortunate, but I’ve seen it happen! STAY FOCUSED on the reason your working so hard, and that’s for your family, and that means that you need to take time to enjoy life with them while on your journey to success.

(2) Stop working at a certain time each evening. Because my business has been exploding over the past year, I’ve found that I have scheduled more and more calls into the evening, sometimes to the point where I wouldn’t get off the phone until 12:30 AM! Once I talked to Craig, he told me that I had to designate a certain time during the night to stop working. Now, I don’t take any calls after 7 PM and end all of my conference calls and webinars by 8 PM (with the exception of Mondays), giving me the rest of the evening to spend with Melinda and Madison.

(3) Establish a “Family Night.” When I was about 3 years old, my parents created “Family Night,” which was and still is every Friday night. It didn’t matter how busy our lives have been, we have known that Friday is family night and nothing is going to get in the way of that. This is a time for you to connect with your family and talk about the things that happened during the week. I won’t take any calls past 4 PM every Friday.

(4) Take a rest day. For the past month, Sunday has been my rest day to where I don’t work. I will go shopping with the family, go to the park, or just sit around and watch movies all day, but I MAKE SURE I don’t work! Plus, you need a day of relaxation to clear your mind. Once Monday comes, I feel refreshed and ready to give it my all during the week!

(5) Shut off your phone! If you’re at “Family Night” or taking a rest day, be courteous and shut off your phone! I have a Blackberry, and that little red light enjoys going on, and I’m always checking to see if it’s going off, but if you don’t have your phone on, then guess what, that little red light ain’t a flashin’! Remember, that time is family time, and being on the phone all the time takes away from that. Shut off the phone and enjoy the time with your loved ones.

Whether you have your home based business, have a desk job, or own your own business outside of home, don’t ever lose track of what’s most important in your life, and that’s your family. They are the reason you work so hard every day! Take these tips above and use them, and once you do, I promise that your relationships will be better and your stress level will decrease. Remember, it’s not about the money, but rather about enjoying life with the people you love!

2 comments

Great info Josh! This is what my husband and I have been doing for years and it has been amazing for our relationship and our family! Family time is so important and I think too many people are forgeting that! God and family, for us, nothing comes before these! Great blog!